Tough Mudder
Ask someone why they've never embarked on a Tough Mudder race before and their excuse will probably be something along the lines of "they're too... well, tough".
Now that excuse has well and truly been blown out of the mud with the introduction of a new Tough Mudder Half series in 2016.
So now you too can look like this..
Or this.
Lovely.
The new short courses will NOT feature obstacles including ice, fire, or electricity, but participants will experience plenty of thrills while tackling Tough Mudder favorites including Walk the Plank, a leap from a 12-foot platform into water; Kiss of Mud, a crawl underneath barbed wire; and Everest, a run up a quarter-pipe requiring both speed and teamwork.
Two events will be held at Belvoire Castle, in Grantham, in May and Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill, Scotland, in June.
For your troubles you will get a headband, t-shirt and a well-deserved bottle of cider.
If you're still not convinced then a few HuffPost people and friends did one not too long ago....
Tough Mudder
Aubrey(01 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
1. I'd heard about the grueling nature of TM, but always thought to myself 'If I don't die, it can't go THAT badly' - even for someone with limited training and running experience.
2) How much training did you do?
2. Some - mostly in the days before when I realised how stupid I'd been not to do more.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
3. Favourite part was the end - tumbling through electrocuting cables in one final dash, only to be handed cider immediately after.
4) How hard was it?
4. Pretty trying, but as I hadn't done it before and heard little about the specifics of obstacles, I didn't have any expectations. That was probably better than knowing what I was going to face, and made the whole thing a lot more manageable.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Dead, after limping the last mile round, but proud and enthused to do it again. (Maybe in a few months time though...)
6) Would you do it again?
6. In a second.
1. I'd heard about the grueling nature of TM, but always thought to myself 'If I don't die, it can't go THAT badly' - even for someone with limited training and running experience.
2) How much training did you do?
2. Some - mostly in the days before when I realised how stupid I'd been not to do more.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
3. Favourite part was the end - tumbling through electrocuting cables in one final dash, only to be handed cider immediately after.
4) How hard was it?
4. Pretty trying, but as I hadn't done it before and heard little about the specifics of obstacles, I didn't have any expectations. That was probably better than knowing what I was going to face, and made the whole thing a lot more manageable.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Dead, after limping the last mile round, but proud and enthused to do it again. (Maybe in a few months time though...)
6) Would you do it again?
6. In a second.
Chris (02 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
I'd done one before so I knew what to expect although the thought of some of the obstacles still made me nervous.
2) How much training did you do?
A fair bit but it's difficult to train for being electrocuted.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least favourite without a doubt is the Arctic Enema, it's utterly horrific plunging yourself into a skip full of iced water.
The best bit is the sense of camaraderie on the course even with total strangers. Everyone helps everyone.
4) How hard was it?
Not as hard as you'd think, it's not like running a half marathon as the obstacles break it up. Obviously it's a challenge but it's one pretty much anyone could do.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Knackered and in need of a large meal, but generally pretty pleased with myself.6) Would you do it again?
Let me have a rest and I'll get back to you.
I'd done one before so I knew what to expect although the thought of some of the obstacles still made me nervous.
2) How much training did you do?
A fair bit but it's difficult to train for being electrocuted.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least favourite without a doubt is the Arctic Enema, it's utterly horrific plunging yourself into a skip full of iced water.
The best bit is the sense of camaraderie on the course even with total strangers. Everyone helps everyone.
4) How hard was it?
Not as hard as you'd think, it's not like running a half marathon as the obstacles break it up. Obviously it's a challenge but it's one pretty much anyone could do.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Knackered and in need of a large meal, but generally pretty pleased with myself.6) Would you do it again?
Let me have a rest and I'll get back to you.
Elliot(03 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
I thought Tough Mudder would be horrendous after hearing stories of fire and electrocution but it was actually enjoyable.
2) How much training dod you do?
I didn't train much although being an Olympic gymnast and lifting a few weights before would have been very handy.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
For some reason I hated the 'Arctic Blast' as I thought my chest was going to exploded but I really enjoyed the 'King of Swingers' as you landed in huge pool of water.
4) How hard was it?
If you're doing it competitively I imagine it's very tough but as we were doing It as a team and I'm a keen runner, it was good fun.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Shattered and proud
6) Would you do it again?
Most definitely and hopefully next year!
I thought Tough Mudder would be horrendous after hearing stories of fire and electrocution but it was actually enjoyable.
2) How much training dod you do?
I didn't train much although being an Olympic gymnast and lifting a few weights before would have been very handy.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
For some reason I hated the 'Arctic Blast' as I thought my chest was going to exploded but I really enjoyed the 'King of Swingers' as you landed in huge pool of water.
4) How hard was it?
If you're doing it competitively I imagine it's very tough but as we were doing It as a team and I'm a keen runner, it was good fun.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Shattered and proud
6) Would you do it again?
Most definitely and hopefully next year!
Gav(04 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
I'd heard mixed reviews, some saying i would die, others saying it would be easy.
2) How much training do you do?
A few 5k's on a treadmill and a long haul flight3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least Favourite - Legs locking up/cramp following cold water
Favourite - Spectacularly being pulled back down "everest 2" by what can only be described as a mountain of a man.
4) How hard was it?I struggled with cramp rather than the Obstacles.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
In need of a drink
6) Would you do it again?
Yes
I'd heard mixed reviews, some saying i would die, others saying it would be easy.
2) How much training do you do?
A few 5k's on a treadmill and a long haul flight3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least Favourite - Legs locking up/cramp following cold water
Favourite - Spectacularly being pulled back down "everest 2" by what can only be described as a mountain of a man.
4) How hard was it?I struggled with cramp rather than the Obstacles.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
In need of a drink
6) Would you do it again?
Yes
John (05 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
I had heard the usual horror stories about being electrocuted several times, thrown in freezing water, pole vaulted over various obstacles and generally ending up a bit bruised and battered. Everyone I spoke to had failed to mention that there is an actual run in between all of the obstacles - 11(was it 12?) miles of one and I am not a long distance runner. I don't think I've run a distance of more than 5 miles in one go (I don't count football as running, especially how I play it).
2) How much training did you do?
I liked to think I was in reasonably good shape from day to day life. I swim twice a week, do pilates and various other classes so didn't veer from the usual regime for this. If I had known about the long distance I might have practised on the treadmill a bit though.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least favourite part was probably the obstacle where you try and jump from a platform to catch hold of a bar before falling into a pool of water. Might have been it's point in the race but the idea of just jumping was mentally taxing, legs didn't fire and I missed my opportunity to go for it and then began to overthink the whole thing. It felt a bit like shirking from the game and that was disappointing and frustrating, though I did get my head down and complete it. It was by no means the toughest obstacle or the worse but it left a sour taste for me personally.
The running, which I've mentioned several times now, was also not pleasant to these tired old hamstrings. There was also a lot of variations of climbing over things, which was a bit mundane by the end. I was expecting a few more challenges where you'd really have to think about how you would tackle it but that never really materialised.
I really liked the mud bath bit that had some drum'n'bass blasting from a Jeep by the side. Sliding into waist deep sludge is never a bad thing. I also enjoyed the "birthing canal", which is where you crawl underneath a tarpaulin filled with water, mostly because of the pure ingenuity of the stage. It was tough and required a bit of physical and mental strength to push through.
4) How hard was it?
I've struggled to quantify how hard it was when asked. I felt a bit broken afterwards but it was more feeling coming back to my joints after several miles of bumps, hits and running after the cold had incapacitated nerve endings. A lazy morning the day after pretty much sorted me out. There wasn't ever a point where I felt it would beat me though and I didn't find that I was out of breath or anything like that throughout the course. The variety of the obstacles meant that the course never got too hard or too easy and the general positive atmosphere of "I'm going to do this no matter what" relieved the moments where it did get a bit hard.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
As mentioned previously, a bit broken, but it was only for a short amount of time. The worst part is probably the immediate aftermath, where your muscles begin to fatigue and seize up. We did the course in around 4 hours and there was a good 2/3 hours making your way there so by they end I just needed food and a pint to replenish myself more than anything. You definitely felt like you earned your reward though.
6) Would you do it again?
Would depend on the course I think. If there were new challenges that looked very different to the ones we encountered, then yes. Although Tough Mudder isn't a race in the strictest sense you do find yourself drawn into a personal one. You want to improve your time, do an obstacle a bit better than you did the first time and I think that's where a lot of people find the compulsion to do more of them. Tough Mudder has probably created an appetite to do more varied things, like open water swims or climbing, rather than the race again for me.
I had heard the usual horror stories about being electrocuted several times, thrown in freezing water, pole vaulted over various obstacles and generally ending up a bit bruised and battered. Everyone I spoke to had failed to mention that there is an actual run in between all of the obstacles - 11(was it 12?) miles of one and I am not a long distance runner. I don't think I've run a distance of more than 5 miles in one go (I don't count football as running, especially how I play it).
2) How much training did you do?
I liked to think I was in reasonably good shape from day to day life. I swim twice a week, do pilates and various other classes so didn't veer from the usual regime for this. If I had known about the long distance I might have practised on the treadmill a bit though.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least favourite part was probably the obstacle where you try and jump from a platform to catch hold of a bar before falling into a pool of water. Might have been it's point in the race but the idea of just jumping was mentally taxing, legs didn't fire and I missed my opportunity to go for it and then began to overthink the whole thing. It felt a bit like shirking from the game and that was disappointing and frustrating, though I did get my head down and complete it. It was by no means the toughest obstacle or the worse but it left a sour taste for me personally.
The running, which I've mentioned several times now, was also not pleasant to these tired old hamstrings. There was also a lot of variations of climbing over things, which was a bit mundane by the end. I was expecting a few more challenges where you'd really have to think about how you would tackle it but that never really materialised.
I really liked the mud bath bit that had some drum'n'bass blasting from a Jeep by the side. Sliding into waist deep sludge is never a bad thing. I also enjoyed the "birthing canal", which is where you crawl underneath a tarpaulin filled with water, mostly because of the pure ingenuity of the stage. It was tough and required a bit of physical and mental strength to push through.
4) How hard was it?
I've struggled to quantify how hard it was when asked. I felt a bit broken afterwards but it was more feeling coming back to my joints after several miles of bumps, hits and running after the cold had incapacitated nerve endings. A lazy morning the day after pretty much sorted me out. There wasn't ever a point where I felt it would beat me though and I didn't find that I was out of breath or anything like that throughout the course. The variety of the obstacles meant that the course never got too hard or too easy and the general positive atmosphere of "I'm going to do this no matter what" relieved the moments where it did get a bit hard.
5) How did you feel afterwards?
As mentioned previously, a bit broken, but it was only for a short amount of time. The worst part is probably the immediate aftermath, where your muscles begin to fatigue and seize up. We did the course in around 4 hours and there was a good 2/3 hours making your way there so by they end I just needed food and a pint to replenish myself more than anything. You definitely felt like you earned your reward though.
6) Would you do it again?
Would depend on the course I think. If there were new challenges that looked very different to the ones we encountered, then yes. Although Tough Mudder isn't a race in the strictest sense you do find yourself drawn into a personal one. You want to improve your time, do an obstacle a bit better than you did the first time and I think that's where a lot of people find the compulsion to do more of them. Tough Mudder has probably created an appetite to do more varied things, like open water swims or climbing, rather than the race again for me.
Carl(06 of06)
1) How much of a challenge did you think Tough Mudder would be?
I had heard a few stories from people who had already a TM, the electric shocks sounded like the worst challenge but growing up in the sticks I had already experienced a similar shock trying to vault an electric fence... zap to the goolies.
2) How much training did you do?
Living in SW London its hard to prepare for waist deep mud and ice cold water so in place of training a weekly session of Jägerbombs and premium larger stood in. I'm still alive.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least: Ice water, definitely ice water
Favourite: Not giving a toss about jumping in mud and puddles, I can't do it in the park cos people will stare.
4) How hard was it?
Not as hard as i though, I think tough is the word
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Heavy with clods of mud stuck in every orifice.
6) Would you do it again?
Without a doubt.
I had heard a few stories from people who had already a TM, the electric shocks sounded like the worst challenge but growing up in the sticks I had already experienced a similar shock trying to vault an electric fence... zap to the goolies.
2) How much training did you do?
Living in SW London its hard to prepare for waist deep mud and ice cold water so in place of training a weekly session of Jägerbombs and premium larger stood in. I'm still alive.
3) What was your least and most favourite parts of the course and why?
Least: Ice water, definitely ice water
Favourite: Not giving a toss about jumping in mud and puddles, I can't do it in the park cos people will stare.
4) How hard was it?
Not as hard as i though, I think tough is the word
5) How did you feel afterwards?
Heavy with clods of mud stuck in every orifice.
6) Would you do it again?
Without a doubt.